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Little Falls Homeowner Byron Smith Found Guilty In Killing Two Teens

A Minnesota homeowner who shot and killed two teenagers during a break-in has been convicted of premeditated first-degree murder and second-degree murder.

Bryon Smith had claimed he was simply defending himself during the break-in at his home in the small city of Little Falls on Thanksgiving Day 2012.

Smith's attorney said the 65-year-old was fearful after previous burglaries. But prosecutors argued that Smith waited in his basement and intended to kill the teens. A total of nine shots were fired at 17-year-old Nick Brady and 18-year-old Haile Kifer.

Minnesota law allows a person to use deadly force for defense, but that action must be considered reasonable. Jurors found him guilty of both first-degree and second-degree murder charges after deliberating Tuesday for several hours.